


Explosion

by shepardly



Series: Whumptober Prompts [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, prompt fill from tumblr, whumptober2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-10-18 01:36:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20630936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shepardly/pseuds/shepardly
Summary: Vetra’s already had one new start, she doesn’t want another, thanks.Prompt fill from @whumptober2019 on Tumblr.





	Explosion

**Author's Note:**

> I got on a writing kick again (yay!) thanks to a prompt list. I doubt I’ll be filling all of them but I figured I’d better start posting what I have or it’ll still be sitting on my G Drive come December. Some are longer than others, and they will not be all in the same fandom.

*

_“It’s going to blow!”_

Vetra heard Drack shout the warning, bellowing over the sounds of gunfire and yelling from the Outlaws that had ambushed them on Kadara. Despite being jumped, they had been holding their ground until a fucking _Hydra_ had shown up to the party. Despite that, Sarah had been a blur of force and power on the field, using her biotics to Charge into the fray to deliver significant damage with her shotgun before zipping out again while Drack used similar, albeit somewhat slower strategies. Vetra’s assault rifle was actually getting warm in her grasp, although adrenaline kept that particular fact on the back burner for now.

_“Get down!”_ Vetra heard Sarah yell from somewhere, and dove behind a flickering shield barricade, hoping it had enough juice to make do.

The explosion resulting from a critically damaged Hydra was as violent and powerful as Vetra expected it to be. The flickering barricade shield fell almost immediately, knocking her over and leaving her own shields to weather the last of it. Still, Vetra was back on her feet almost immediately, assault rifle in hand and shields down as they recharged. To her relief, there was only one hostile marker left on her HUD, and they were already fleeing with Drack hot on their heels.

“All hostiles down.” Vetra reported on the comms when the last red blip disappeared. “What’s everyone’s status?”

“Winning.” Drack reported in with a smug chuckle. “Heading back your way.”

The comms went quiet, and Vetra felt her insides sink.

“Ryder? What’s your status?” Vetra tried again. 

Silence greeted her.

“I’m on my way.” Drack said, and she could see him running towards the wreckage of the Hydra. He was right, she realized. Last she had seen Sarah, she’d been dancing around behind the massive mech, out of range of its cannon…

But within the blast radius when it’d blown.

_Don’t panic,_ Vetra sternly told herself as she ran towards the wreckage. _This is not the time to panic._

Even so, she could feel herself already going through the stages of grief. She had already lost enough in her life; this felt inevitable. Like she was bracing herself for the kick to her diaphragm that she knew was going to come sooner or later, anyway.

Drack was already tossing aside pieces of mech aside when she arrived, and she immediately joined him in the search.

“Ryder!” She couldn’t help the shout, and when she received no response as the search continued she felt something start to crack within her. _“Sarah!”_

Drack heaved another large piece up and shoved it over with a shout. “Here, kid!”

Sarah was already blinking and squinting in the sunlight, lifting a hand to shield her face as Vetra all but pounced on her, checking her over for injuries.

“Oof.” Sarah groaned as Vetra unclipped her helmet from her armour and pulled it off her head. The visor was cracked, and a black scorch mark marred the white side of the helmet. “That hurt.”

“What were you _thinking?_” Vetra shook her head, dismissing her own question. “Where are you hurt? Drack, call Lexi and ask for an evac.”

“I’m just sore.” Sarah said loudly, taking stock of herself. “That thing was heavy. Thanks, Drack.”

Blood was trickling from her ears and one nostril, the odd crimson colour a stark contrast against her paler-than-normal skin.

“You’re bleeding.” Vetra pulled her medi-gel out. “How’s your hea—?”

“I can’t hear you.” Sarah loudly interrupted her, tapping the side of her head and flexing her jaw as if trying to relieve plugged ears. “All I can hear is ringing.”

“That’s what you get for staying within a blast radius.” Vetra snipped before she could help it. _Ugh,_ raising Sid had _ruined_ her. Here she was, a smuggler and mercenary in a whole new galaxy, fussing over her girlfriend like a mother hen. Drack was chuckling, only confirming her fears. She ignored him. Ship engines could be heard in the valley already; Tempest was nearly there already.

“I guess we better ask for an evac.” Sarah said, still loudly, and jumped when the Tempest suddenly threw a shadow over them.

“Already on it.” Drack shouted back at her, and some of it must have gotten through because Sarah cocked her head towards him, although she still looked puzzled.

“Wow, this really sucks!” Sarah announced, still flexing her jaw, and wiped her nose on her sleeve. Crimson smeared, but the nose bleed seemed to have stopped already. Still, it made Vetra shudder. She looked toward Drack, who was on the comms with the crew on the ship, likely going over their best strategy for landing the Tempest safely.

“Hey.” Sarah grabbed her arm and attention, looking at her with concern in her eyes. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” Vetra said automatically, even knowing that Sarah couldn’t hear her.

“C’mere.” Sarah tugged her in for a hug, and Vetra only hesitated for a split second before returning it, enfolding her firmly in her arms. Their armour bumped together and pinched in odd places but Vetra didn’t care, and Sarah didn’t seem to mind either. Vetra drew in a breath with her face in Sarah’s hair while still clinging to her, memorizing the spicy scent of the soap she used and the appealing undertones that was all Sarah Ryder. Sarah smoothed her hand over the back of Vetra’s skull in a comforting gesture, seeming to understand, and pressed a kiss to her mandible.

“Okay you two lovebirds, break it up, Lexi’s on her way.” Drack barked, and Vetra reluctantly pulled herself away from a confused Sarah. Separating allowed Sarah to spot Lexi marching across the rocky terrain with Cora and Liam acting as her bodyguards, and confusion turned into resignation.

“Mom’s gonna be so mad.” Sarah tried to say quietly to Vetra, but her damaged hearing still made her speak loudly.

“I heard that.” Lexi said.

“Don’t tell Lexi I called her that.” Sarah continued to Vetra, oblivious.

“Blown eardrums, I’m going to hazard a guess.” Lexi said wryly, her medical scanner already out and working as she came to a stop beside them, and then sighed loudly. “Ryder…”

“Hi, Lexi!” Sarah said cheerfully. “I can’t hear anything!”

“She’s ruptured her eardrums, has a mild concussion, and fractured her wrist again.” Lexi ignored Sarah for the moment, listing off the injuries to Vetra. “Nothing life threatening and I expect a full recovery, but it will take time to heal. I’ve brought a stretcher, but it might be easier to carry her onboard with this terrain.”

“I think I hit my arm on something.” Sarah waved her arm vaguely at Lexi, holding her wrist and hand in such a way that implied it hurt. “Just a bruise, though.”

Lexi gave another exasperated sigh before giving her an injection, likely a painkiller, before motioning for Vetra to take over. Vetra tapped Sarah’s knee to give her warning before gently picking her up, making sure her talons didn’t dig into anything too soft. Sarah looped an arm around her neck and leaned against her collar with a sigh, and Vetra tightened her grip a bit. Her adrenaline levels were definitely coming down now, being replaced with an overwhelming sense of relief. Nothing was lost today, her world was intact.

“Love you, ‘Tra.” Sarah said slightly too loudly and muzzily, the painkiller clearly kicking in. Vetra nudged her head with her own as she picked their way back to the ship.

“Love you too, Sarah.” Vetra replied, knowing that Sarah would feel the rumble of her voice and sub vocals from this close. Vetra found she didn’t really care that Sarah was likely the only one that didn’t hear her clearly.

*


End file.
